![]() ![]() However, as HSRProj continues to grow, with over 37,000 projects, 370 funders, and 2,400 MeSH terms, it is difficult to comprehend what all its data means. This is a valuable resource for funders to find underfunded areas of research, or organizations to develop strategic agendas based on research trends. I learned a lot through the process and I’m sure many other health services researchers are struggling to use data visualization effectively so I’m outlining some of my lessons learned below.Īt AcademyHealth, I help manage a database of information on ongoing, funded health research projects called HSRProj. I know from personal experience because the HSRProj team recently worked with a large dataset to create a user-friendly dashboard. Data visualization is a key strategy in achieving this, but only when it’s done well. You must be able to communicate results to relevant audiences. Next, I’m hoping to find a full-time data visualization role either in non-profit work, research, or journalism, where I can communicate data about important issues.It is no longer enough to be able to conduct rigorous research. ![]() I’m temporarily working on three research projects, two of which are through Northeastern. It couldn’t have been a better fit! What do you hope to do next? It was my opportunity to develop my design skills and merge my creative and analytical interests. That’s when I found the Information Design and Visualization master’s program at Northeastern. When I was there, I was a part of some really interesting analytical efforts, but I found an untapped potential to visualize those efforts. Once I graduated, I entered a two-year quantitative program at Bank of America. I always enjoyed being both creative and analytical, but I never knew how to combine them, so I explored these interests separately. In undergrad, I studied both art and statistics. How did you become interested in data visualization? For my thesis exhibit, I took the same cause but represented it in a more creative, engaging way with data from the local shelter Animal Rescue League of Boston. This is the data I used in my empirical study to show that not every animal has a live outcome. I took this opportunity to use this collected data from Shelter Animals Count to represent and communicate the issue in numbers. Collecting animal shelter statistics at a national level is a very recent initiative to use numbers to help save more lives of homeless animals. Causes I’m personally invested in are animal welfare and pet adoption. Where did you find the data that you used?Ī motivator in my thesis research was how advocacy groups can use data to communicate their causes. There’s an increased interest from these groups to communicate their causes using data, but they often struggle to capture the data or lack the skills or funds to analyze and visualize the data. The second reason was to better understand how advocacy groups can take advantage of data as a part of their advocacy efforts. Through this research, I learned how visualizations are not objective and I wanted to explore this idea deeper. ![]() First, in my information design theory course, my professor recommended I study the rhetoric of design and visualization, which considers visualization as a persuasive form. This research gave me the opportunity to put my statistics background to the test by running an empirical study, where I tested if filtering the data shown changes someone’s response to the visualization. My thesis investigated how data visualizations can appeal to emotions. Interview by Molly Chase Tell us about your recent thesis, rhetoric of pathos in visualization. Sarah joined the Northeastern community after earning her undergraduate degree at The University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and completing a two-year quantitative program at Bank of America. Her thesis focused on how data visualizations can appeal to emotions, and how advocacy groups can use data to communicate their causes. Northeastern alumna Sarah Campbell recently earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Information Design and Visualization. ![]()
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